


earth angel will you be mine?

by glaciya



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Blade of Marmora Keith (Voltron), Champion Shiro (Voltron), Choking, Dark Shiro (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mild Angst, Pining Keith (Voltron), Rough Sex, Size Difference, Trans Keith (Voltron), but with feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 07:40:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29468124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glaciya/pseuds/glaciya
Summary: When Ulaz brings the champion to the blades, Keith can't resist getting as close to the other human as possible, no matter how dangerous it may be.--“I want to help you,” Keith croaks when he finally gets his breath back.Shiro’s fingers twitch against his throat. “Why?”“You’ve been alone a long, long time,” Keith whispers. “So have I.”Shiro’s expression crumbles. “I just want to go home, Keith.”--
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 23
Kudos: 175
Collections: Sheithlentines 2021





	earth angel will you be mine?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bun_o_ween](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bun_o_ween/gifts).



> Happy sheithlentines! Thank you so much for giving me such an incredible list of prompts to choice from. I tried to include as many of them as I could: size diff + BOM!Keith + kissing + gentle sex with rough edges + fingering + dark(ish) shiro + trans Keith <3 
> 
> I really hope you like it! Thank you for giving me a lot of fun things to work with :D 
> 
> **As a note to anyone reading, there is AFAB language used**

They bring in the champion in cuffs.

"This isn't necessary," Ulaz is saying as he slides out of the escape pod. He moves as gracefully as he always has, if not a little slower. Keith will have to make sure he spends a cycle in one of their healing chambers if Ulaz doesn't go there himself after he settles back in. The blades were a proud bunch that, in Keith's opinion, tended to make them a little stupid sometimes, especially when it came to admitting they were injured.

But, for now, Ulaz is back and he's safe. Keith is practically vibrating as he attempts to stand at attention next to Kolivan, waiting for their leaders to give the go-ahead to welcome his old friend. His excitement for the reunion is entirely at fault for why he doesn't pay much attention to the hooded, chained man standing in between Thace and Antok. Kolivan's next words correct his mistake rather quickly.

"This was your reasoning for straying from the mission then," Kolivan says, tone neutral as he tilts his head toward the prisoner.

Ulaz's lips draw a grim line. "I didn't stray, Kolivan. I merely...made adjustments."

Keith does take in the prisoner then, wondering what about him could have affected Ulaz in such a way that he jeopardized the mission and his life for him. It's hard to tell much, with most of his features hidden behind the thick hood Ulaz had thrown over his head under Kolivan's orders. He's larger than Keith, something Keith has grown used to living among the blades all of his life, but not quite as large as Keith's other companions.

He's also trembling in obvious exhaustion even as he stands on his own. Keith wonders if he too should go in one of their healing chambers. Although the chances of Kolivan allowing that are slim. He won't be much of a threat as he is now, not exhausted and not against the blades.

His arm though does cause concern. Keith has seen the weapons that the empire has come up with enough to be able to recognize one. The champion isn't a threat now, but he could be, should he want to.

Kolivan had briefed them on the champion’s history as soon as Ulaz announced he was coming back to them with a guest. Someone that could go undefeated in the empires fighting pits for so long had to have quite a bit of skill. Keith gives the champion another once over, more curious than cautious now.

"Let him stay," Ulaz is saying. "He could provide valuable intel about the base and even schedules, surely the emperor came to watch the shows often enough."

When Kolivan grunts in obvious disinterest Ulaz, with an almost guilty look toward Keith, adds, "He's human."

Chaos ensues as Keith's pack makes various sounds of surprise and Keith, in a move that's purely instinctual and ridiculously dumb, moves toward the prisoner, reaching for his hood in the sudden need to see his face the champion's face. Kolvian stops him with a large hand on his arm as Thace and Antok grab an arm of the champion's each, pulling him away. The champion goes, pliant but stumbling slightly at the sudden movement.

"He's staying," Keith hisses, straining to make eye contact with Kolivan. He even feels himself raise on his toes as if that'll help him get his point across. "He can stay with me. I can handle him. I'll keep an eye on him while-"

" _ He _ is right here," the champion speaks in Galran. His accent is heavy, words spoken softer and slower than normal Galran, but clear. "Your friend told me he was taking me somewhere safer, but this all feels relatively similar so far. Am I your prisoner now? Will you make me fight?" Up until his last sentence, his head had been turned toward Kolivan but then abruptly he shifts and he faces Keith. "I'm good at that."

There's no way the champion should be able to see Keith through that hood, and rationally Keith knows he's looking toward where he heard Keith's voice come from before, but Keith swears he can feel the itch of the champion’s gaze directly on him. Keith can't help the quiet noise he makes and he flushes, knowing all of his companions heard it.

Kolivan moves in front of Keith, blocking Keith's view of the champion. "You will stay in our holding cells until I decide otherwise." He pauses long enough to shoot a sharp look toward Ulaz when Ulaz looks to interrupt. "And it is your choice whether you'd like to fight us. I would advise against it, though. You will lose."

The champion must do something to show his agreement because after a moment Keith sees the back of Kolivan's head nod and Thace and Antok begin to move the champion away.

The footsteps stop briefly when the champion calls out a soft, "Thank you," in English.

"You're welcome," Ulaz replies in the same language.

"Keith, go spend a session in the training sims. Ulaz, come with me to debrief."

Keith frowns. "But-"

"Now, Keith," Kolivan says. "And I better not hear of you sneaking off to visit the champion, either. You are to stay away from him until I approve it. Understand?" He prompts when Keith remains silent.

"Yessir," he says. 

Naturally, he sneaks off to visit the champion at the first opportunity. 

It takes a few days because Kolivan seems to alternate between wanting to watch over the champion himself and wanting to watch Keith under the guise of more training. And, during the times when Kolivan is otherwise occupied and Keith manages to sneak around the champion’s chamber, Ulaz is already there, whispering in urgent English to the champion. 

Keith hides in the shadows and watches them long enough to determine that the champion seems to have taken a vow of silence and doesn’t respond or otherwise react to anything Ulaz says to him. He sits still on the cell bed and faces Ulaz though, appearing to listen if nothing else. 

Once, just as Keith is about to give them some privacy, he thinks he sees the champion’s head start to turn in the direction of Keith’s hiding spot. Something about it makes him panic and Keith knows he’s not quiet as he hurries out of there. 

Ulaz never calls him on it. Keith wonders if it’s because Ulaz is denying Koliva’s orders by visiting the champion as well. 

Keith gets his chance when they stop at a trading outpost to gather supplies, Kolivan needs Ulaz and Regris to help with negotiations and Antok is much better at helping them carry the supplies back than Keith is.

Normally Keith hates to be left behind on the ship during excursions like this, but he’s been to this trading post more times than he can count, and besides, inside the ship is the champion. He tries to keep his excitement in check though judging by the frown Kolivan sends him and the amused light behind both Regris and Ulaz’s eyes as he heads to the exit bay, Keith doubts he does a very good job.

It’s impossible on most days to tell what Antok is thinking but he does give Keith a light parting tap on the back of his thigh with his tail as he follows Ulaz and Regris out. Keith takes that for what it is. 

Finally, it’s just Keith and Kolivan remaining on the ship. He doesn’t say anything but continues to look at Keith like he can read his mind. 

“I’m aging quicker worrying about you, pup,” Kolivan says. 

“You don’t have to worry about me,” Keith says, frowning. 

Kolivan chuckles lowly. “Yes, I do.”

Keith huffs and crosses his arms. “You know I have to talk to him. He’s human.”

“That might not mean anything, Keith.” Kolivan is looking like Keith like he pities him and Keith hates it. “Humans are just as prone to attack their own as Galra are.” 

“I know that,” he says. “I’m not that foolish. I just…”

Kolivan bares his teeth in displeasure but says, “I know you do. Don’t get your hopes up though. Ulaz says he hasn’t talked.”

“I know,” Keith says and flushes at giving himself away. 

“And keep your distance,” Kolivan warns. “He’s a killer.”

Keith nods and chooses to keep silent about how little that does to dissuade him from talking with the champion. “Yessir.”

Kolivan heads to the exit bay and Keith manages to wait for about ten ticks before he’s hurrying down to the champions chamber. 

For some reason he expects the champion to still be sitting on the bed in the same position as he was when Keith spied on Ulaz’s one-sided conversation with him. He’s surprised when he finds the champion working out. 

Keith freezes, slinking back to hide in his spot in the shadows. He doesn’t know why but the urge to watch the champion work out is suddenly there, irresistible. 

He’s doing push-ups at a faster pace than Keith sets for himself on his best days and his form is nearly perfect. Judging by the thin layer of sweat over his exposed skin, he’s been at this a while. 

The champion’s outfit is the thin scrub like shirt and pants that most of the blades used to sleep in. It’s breathable, flexible, and quick to discard if a quick change into armor is ever needed. It also soaks up fluids pretty well and Keith finds himself disappointed in this, as he’s sure any other material would be sticking to the champion’s skin right now. 

Keith really should make some sort of sound to reveal himself now.

Instead, he watches as the champion finishes his push-ups and drops his elbows to the floor to hold a plank, unintentionally showing off his muscles as they flex to hold his weight. The champion is strong. Though Keith supposes he’d have to be, with a title like that. 

“If you’re going to watch, you could at least help me keep the time.” 

Keith starts, stepping forward and closer to the champions chamber thoughtlessly. “How’d you know I was here?” 

The champion huffs, like Keith’s question has amused him somehow. “There’s always someone watching. If they aren’t here in person the light in the top left corner of the room turns green when the feed is on. First with Ulaz and now today, you’re the only one that’s tried to hide from me before.” 

“I wasn’t hiding,” Keith snaps. “Maybe I just didn’t want to talk to you.” 

“Then why are we talking now?” He still hasn’t looked at Keith. 

Keith bites his lip and glares even though the champion won’t see it. There’s a twitch on the champion’s lips, there and gone before Keith has the chance to determine if it was the start of a smile or not. 

He moves closer as the champion gently drops from the plank, sliding back to rest on his knees and rolling out his neck and shoulders, as if he couldn’t care less about his audience. He’s probably used to being watched, Keith thinks, and stops just in front of the bars of the champion’s cell as the thought makes him ache. 

“It was two minutes, I think,” Keith says, and when the champion stills, “It’s been a while since I’ve studied the measurements of time Earth uses.” 

The champion's smooth composure finally breaks when he looks at Keith and, Keith in hindsight maybe regrets not wearing his mask at first to ease the champion into this. 

Though now he has the champion’s full attention, and Keith doesn’t regret that at all. 

“You’re human,” the champion says, soft and broken. 

“I’m half-human. My dad is from Earth,” Keith explains. 

“And your mom?”

“Galra.” 

The champion narrows his eyes, seeming unsure of whether to trust this explanation or not. He stands and paces running a hand through his hair while Keith watches, trying to stay patient as the champion processes. 

“I’m Keith,” he finally blurts when the champion seems too lost in the thought. 

The champion comes to a stop right in front of Keith. He seems quite close with only the bars between them. 

“Keith,” the champion says, rolling Keith’s name on his tongue slowly like he’s testing it out. “I recognize your voice. You’re the one that wanted to keep me.” 

Keith shakes his head. “I wanted to know you.”

The champion bites his lip, thoughtful. “What do you want to know?”

“Your name to start with?” Keith can’t keep the hopeful lilt out of his voice. He hopes the champion doesn’t think less of him for it. It becomes clear quickly that this isn’t a piece of information the champion wants to give easily. Not wanting to scare him into closing off entirely, Keith adds, “Or I can just call you Champion if you want. It’s okay.”

“No,” he says sharply and then, after taking a breath in a clear attempt to steady himself says, “It’s Shiro. My name is Shiro.”

“Shiro,” Keith says softly, taking his turn to test out the name. It’s a nice name and it fits Shiro. “It’s nice to meet you, Shiro.”

Shiro rewards Keith with another one of his almost smiles. “You too, Keith.”

Keith rocks forward on his heels. He’s closer to the bars than he should be, but he can’t bring himself to care. Shiro himself is as close as he can get to the bars, looking down at Keith. “You’re bigger than I expected,” Keith says, and when Shiro raises an eyebrow. “I mean, I expected humans to be closer to my size, not Kolivan’s.”

“Kolivan, is that your leader? The one with the-” Shiro gestures toward the side of his head, referring to Kolivan’s braid. 

It’s Keith's turn to hesitate now. As desperate as he is to get to know Shiro, he isn’t naive. Shiro’s dangerous, and their prisoner. He already slipped up even saying Kolivan’s name. Keith shouldn’t give away too much, especially not about the blades. 

A flash of something passes in Shiro’s eyes, there and gone too quick for Keith to make anything of it. “You’re a bit smaller than the average adult male on Earth,” he says, tilting his head and looking Keith up and down. 

“I am?” Keith says. 

“Don’t pout,” Shiro says, sounding like he’s near laughing. “It’s not a bad thing.”

“Says you,” Keith rolls his eyes. “If I’m just a little smaller than average you must be tall for a human.”

“I suppose so.” Shiro shrugs. “I’ve spent a lot of days feeling small since they started making me fight.”

Keith frowns, only narrowly resisting the urge to reach out to him. “I’m sorry that happened to you.”

Shiro remains silent and Keith feels lost in the face of it. 

“You know we’re not like that, right?” he adds, desperate to get that look off Shiro’s face. “You won’t have to fight here. You won’t be hurt.”

“Are you in charge, Keith?” He says it gently but the question with an already obvious answer has Keith flushing.

“No,” Keith answers anyway. “But brutality is not the way of the Blades of Mamora.”

“What is?”

“Knowledge.”

Shiro takes a moment as if to consider this, to consider Keith. “I don’t think I have much to offer in knowledge.” He gives a helpless little smile. “I’ve been lost since the day they took me."

“Knowledge of Earth and the humans on it might prove useful. If nothing else to help prepare for when the Empire reaches it.” Keith doesn’t know how true this is, since Kolivan hasn’t felt the need to inform Keith of his plans for Shiro yet. 

“When?”

“Unless something gets in the way of the Empire to stop it.”

Keith regrets his blunt wording when Shiro’s arms over his chest in a universal sign of self-comfort. The movement seems to remind him of his metal arm and he pauses, human arm wrapped around his stomach and Galra arm held out in front of him. He curls a fist. 

“This might be useful for the knowledge you’re after,” Shiro says, sounding thoughtful. He lifts his gaze again to Keith. “One of them made it after I lost my real arm in a fight. It’s more of a weapon than a limb. There could be tests run on it, maybe you could figure out something about their technology. If you don’t know it already.”

“Antok is good with that kind of thing. Maybe when they get back he could-” 

And Keith is has grown very stupid in his eagerness to get close to the first human he’s ever met. He’s let his guard down. He’s gotten too close. When he steps closer still, to peer at the arm Shiro is holding out to him in a move he’ll later realize was simply bait, Shiro takes advantage. 

Keith doesn’t even see him move, but the sudden, sure grip of Shiro’s metal arm around his throat is pretty telling as to what happened. He’s too late to struggle but still he tries, fingernails scraping against metal as he wheezes his way through his last breath of air. 

“I could break your neck right now,” Shiro says, mouth twisted, any trace of friendliness gone from his face. “Or I could hold you here until your friends get back. Use you as a bargaining chip. This arm doesn’t tire like the rest of me. It’d be easy.”

The Blades don’t bargain, but Keith doesn’t have the air to tell Shiro this. All he gets out is, “ _ Shiro- _ ”

Shiro’s hand squeezes and Keith begins to see spots. “I need to get home, Keith. If the Galra are coming for them I don’t have time to sit around and wait for approval. They need to be warned.” Shiro’s voice takes a softer, more broken tone. “You understand, don’t you?”

Keith can’t nod even if he wanted to. His vision is fading and his grip on Shiro’s arm has gone limp. Shiro has pulled him even closer to his cage, pressing him hard against the bars. He thinks he could kick him if he tried.

Shiro’s grip loosens, not enough to release him but enough to let him get a few desperate gulps of air. When Keith’s vision clears he finds Shiro watching him like he’s waiting for something.

“I want to help you,” Keith croaks when he finally gets his breath back.

Shiro’s fingers twitch against his throat. “Why?” 

“You’ve been alone a long, long time,” Keith whispers. “So have I.”

Shiro’s expression crumbles. “I just want to go home, Keith.”

And he drops him.

\--

Keith makes sure to loop the security feed of Shiro’s workout over the footage of Shiro choking Keith, both for Shiro’s sake and his own. Kolivan is too smart and too protective of Keith to let Shiro stay around after seeing how close he came to killing Keith. 

Smarter than Keith definitely, who can’t seem to stop pressing his fingers against his sore throat later that night. It’ll bruise by tomorrow if he doesn’t put some salve on it but he’s reluctant to. The ache feels almost like a reward, proof of his first contact with another human. He thinks he understands the Blades mantra, knowledge or death, now more than ever

\---

Keith goes back and visits Shiro at the next opportunity because of course he does. Kolivan is in his chambers resting and Keith hears Thace leave his chambers to go visit Ulaz on his watch duty, which means they’ll both be preoccupied for a couple vargas at least. 

He barely waits a safe amount of time to be sure Thace has Ulaz distracted before he creeps out of his room and heads toward Shiro’s cell. He’s bringing a gift with him this time, something his mom gave to him on his eighteenth birthday. He clenches it in a tight fist as he makes his way to Shiro, excited to show it off.

Shiro is awake, staring at the ceiling when Keith comes into the holding chambers. He makes no effort to conceal himself and he’s sure Shiro heard the door slide open, but Shiro makes no move to acknowledge him. 

Keith moves up to the bars surrounding Shiro and stops, floundering a bit in the silence. He moves his gift for Shiro to hide it behind his back, suddenly scared that Shiro won’t like it. 

“Hi,” he finally says when it becomes clear Shiro isn’t going to start the conversation. 

Shiro turns his head toward him and takes his time giving Keith a once-over before he responds. “You didn’t tell them I attacked you.”

“How’d you know?” Keith says, frowning. 

“Because I’m not dead,” Shiro snorts. “A little thing like you with a bunch of assassins and spies for friends? I would have been dead the moment they knew about it.”

_ Little thing like you _ . The last time Shiro mentioned Keith’s smaller size it’d frustrated him to know even among other humans he’s short. Today it makes him flush.

“I didn’t want that to happen to you,” Keith says. 

“Keith,” Shiro says, clearly exasperated. “Why?”

Keith doesn’t know how to answer that, so he pulls out the item he has hiding behind his back. 

“What is that?” Shiro asks, moving up into a sitting position. That small movement was all it took for Shiro to become tense, uncertain. It makes Keith’s heart ache. 

“It’s a record player,” Keith says. “It was my dad’s but he gave it to my mom before she left with me. It has all his favorite songs on it. You might not know any of them but I thought maybe you’d want to hear some of them?”

Wordlessly, Shiro stands up and walks over to Keith. His eyes flicker back and forth from the device to Keith’s hand for a moment before he stretches his human hand out, still within the bars but close enough that Keith would barely have to reach in to hand the device off. 

Keith hesitates only briefly, remembering the last time they’d been this close he’d nearly ended up with his neck snapped, and then, delicately, he stretches his hand past the bars and drops the recorder into Shiro’s open palm. 

Shiro takes the recorder, his fingertips brushing lightly against Keith’s hand as they trade off but he makes no move to grab him this time. Keith can’t read his expression at all as Shiro puts the headphones on and presses play on the recorder without instruction but as soon as the music starts playing he lights up. 

There’s a smile on his lips and in his eyes as the first song on the track starts playing. He makes eye contact with Keith and his smile widens and Keith knows, without needing to see any more humans to prove it, that Shiro is the most beautiful man he’ll ever meet. 

Shiro takes one of the headphones out. “Your dad had good taste!”

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah I remember dancing to this one at prom when I was in high school,” Shiro says, expression distant like he’s reliving that night. 

“Dancing?”

Everything about Shiro softens at that. “I don’t suppose you’ve had much of a chance to dance up here in space, have you?”

Keith shakes his head. “Is it fun?” 

“Some people think so.” Shiro looks down at the recorder he’s holding. “Do you want to try?”

Keith nods. 

“Come here.” Shiro gestures Keith forward and Keith goes with a lack of hesitation that certainly should concern him more than it does. “Put this in your ear.”

Keith puts one of the headphones in his ear, hearing the familiar tune of one of his favorite songs on the track. 

“Now I’ll put my hand on your waist and you’ll put yours on my shoulder- like this. Good, and now we…” Shiro flounders then, unable to meet Keith’s eye.

“Shiro? Are you alright?” 

“Yeah,” Shiro says with a little laugh. “It’s been a while since I’ve done this.”

“We don’t have to,” Keith says, starting to pull away. 

“No I want to,” Shiro’s grip tightens, keeping him near. “I’ll just be a little rusty.”

“If it makes you feel any better it’s all new to me, so I won’t be able to tell if you’re bad or not.”

“I guess that does take some of the pressure off,” Shiro grins, boyish and confident again. 

They dance. 

There isn’t much room to move with the minimal spacing between the bars on Shiro’s cage, but they manage enough of a sway to follow the beat of the music. Another song begins, then another, then another, and Shiro and Keith keep looking at each other. And looking. And looking. 

It’s when the record player runs through its entire track and they are left in silence that Shiro breaks eye contact. They are close enough that Keith can’t miss that Shiro’s attention seems to be on Keith’s lips now. 

Keith has seen this look before. Want is a universal thing after all. 

Their dance slows to a stop but Keith keeps moving, rocking up on his toes to reach Shiro, to reach Shiro’s lips. He kisses Shiro and Shiro kisses him back. And they keep kissing and kissing until Keith doesn’t know what lasts longer, dancing with Shiro or kissing him. 

When they part Shiro presses his forehead to Keith’s and says his name with something that sounds like both reverence and regret. 

“I liked dancing with you,” Keith says in the same tones. “Can we do it again sometime?”

“I’m not going anywhere, Keith.”

\---

The next few quintants pass relatively the same. Keith brings Shiro more music and books his mother had left with him on nights where the rest of the crew is sufficiently distracted. Kolivan visits Shiro most days. Keith isn’t allowed to join in their meetings no matter how much Keith pleads with Kolivan for it. 

Some days, both Kolivan and Shiro appear to be in good spirits, and other days, like today, Kolivan storms out of Shiro’s holding chambers in a fury. 

“What happened?” Keith asks, immediately concerned. He’s not even trying to hide the fact that he was lingering right outside the door to Shiro’s chambers. 

Kolivan gives him a hard stare. “I thought you were assigned to ship maintenance duty today.”

“I was,” Keith shrugged. “I finished it.”

“Then you should have gone through a cycle in the training chamber.”

“I’ll do it later,” Keith says, starting to follow when Kolivan stalks past him. “What happened?”

“I offered him a chance to train for and complete the trials. He refused,” Kolivan says, baring his teeth in obvious frustration.

“Of course he did. He wants to go home, K. That’s not with us.” As much as it makes him ache to admit it. 

“That’s not an option.”

“Wh- How is that not an option?” Keith asks. “My mother said the blue lion is resting in a cave on Earth. He could be our contact there, let us know if anyone from the Empire comes for it.”

“Earth hasn’t made contact with any other off-planet species. How do you think they’ll react to one of their own coming back with an entire arm made of off-world technology? They’ll question him and his answers might give away valuable information about our cause. And if he does manage to make contact with the blue lion, what happens when that new arm of his leads the empire straight to it? The people of Earth wouldn’t know the technology to block out any sort of tracking technology like we do. It’s too much of a risk.”

“So then what are you going to do with him?” Keith demands. “We can’t force someone to join the blades if they don’t want to.” 

Kolivan’s answering silence is telling.

“So you’re just going to keep him locked away in that chamber?” Keith scoffs. “That’s cruel.” 

“Your opinion is noted,” Kolivan snaps, and storms off. 

Keith is too busy shaking with rage to follow. 

\--

Ulaz finds him a few vargas later, staring out the rear observation window to watch the asteroid belt Thace is carefully maneuvering the ship through. He hasn’t gone to Shiro today, unsure of what good it’ll do either of them. Instead, he spent most of his day in a training cycle, pushing himself hard enough that Antok paused in his training to watch Keith. Out of concern or because he was impressed, Keith couldn’t tell.

A meal, a shower, and a pleasant view later and Keith is still practically vibrating with restless energy when Ulaz sits down beside him. 

“You know Kolivan didn’t take this decision lightly,” he says, breaking the short moment of peaceful quiet between the two of them.

“You’re not defending him,” Keith bursts. “Shiro was kidnapped, tortured, and forced to fight to entertain the Galra. You brought him to us to take him away from that and Kolivan wants us to make him a prisoner all over again?”

“Until he thinks of a better option, yes,” Ulaz says.

“There is a better option,” Keith says, bringing his knees up and curling his arms around them. “Letting him go home.”

“You seem very fond of this prisoner. Tell me, how did you get to know him so well? I don’t remember seeing you on watch duty.”

Keith flushes. “I don’t need to know anything about him to know what Kolivan is doing isn’t right.”

“It isn’t but Kolivan doesn’t make his decisions based on what is right. He makes them based on what is wise for the blades, for our cause.”

Keith buries his face in his arms. “You’re his second while my mother is away. You can’t advise against this?”

“As his second in command of the  _ blades _ , it’s my job to help him look out for the  _ blades _ . Even if I don’t like it.” He sighs. “It’s a shame there wasn’t someone around who wasn’t the leader of the blades or the second to the leader of the blades that had Shiro’s best interest in mind.”

Keith lifts his head. “Ulaz?”

Ulaz is looking at the stars. “Especially since we will be passing a wormhole that leads right into the Milky Way in about three vargas.”

“Ulaz...”

“A shame,” Ulaz repeats and rises to his feet. “Have a good night, Keith.”

\--

The escape pod is already fueled when Keith brings Shiro to it a short time after Ulaz leaves him and the coordinates to the wormhole are pulled up on the main console. Ulaz’s doing no doubt. Keith could cry.

He wants to for more than one reason.

Keith scrubs the back of his hand over his eyes. “This will get you to where you need to go.”

“Keith,” Shiro says. It’s his first word since Keith opened his cell door and told him he was getting Shiro off this ship.

“There’s a cloaking device that you should activate before you enter Earth’s orbit. That way you’re not shot down by mistake. I’ll show you what to press once we get strapped in.”

“Keith-”

“And there’s rations for you too. They might not look like much, but they’ll keep you full.”

Shiro reaches out suddenly and grabs Keith, spinning him and pressing his back against the side of the ship. Keith allows it, going limp on impulse as Shiro crowds him and takes his chin in his metal hand. This is the closest they’ve ever been without a set of bars between them. Keith briefly wonders if this is the moment Shiro was waiting for, the moment he will kill Keith. 

Shiro looks at him and, instead of striking, his grip on Keith turns soft. “Keith, why are you crying?”

Keith tries to blink the tears away but a single tear escapes, leaving a wet trail down his cheek. “Because I don’t want you to go.”

“Then why are you letting me?”

“Because you want to go,” Keith says, voice raw. “And I want you to have whatever you want more than I want you to stay here.”

“You know what I want right now more than anything?” 

Keith swallows and shakes his head as much as he’s able to with Shiro still holding his jaw.

“I want you,” he says, and then he’s kissing him.

Shiro’s lips are warm and wet against his neck, then his jaw, and up his cheek. 

When Keith realizes Shiro is tracing the path Keith’s single tear took when it escaped his eye, it makes Keith shake and gasp and want. “Shiro,” he says and keeps saying it until Shiro covers Keith’s lips with his own, warmer and wetter still.

Keith parts his lips for him, moving his lips with a clumsy sort of desperation. He breathes through his nose but he still finds himself lightheaded, dizzy, and panting by the time Shiro pulls away. “I want you too, Shiro,” he says, and “Please.”

Shiro gives him a heated look. “How much time do we have?”

“Enough,” Keith replies. Not enough for everything Keith wants Shiro to do to him, but for some things surely. 

Shiro must read Keith’s unspoken words by his tone alone because Shiro’s expression turns smug. He kisses Keith again and snaps Keith’s hair tie with a sharp tug from his metal hand, running fingers through his hair until the braid falls away and Keith’s hair is spilling down his shoulders. 

“Will you get on your knees for me, baby?” Shiro says, pulling back and leaving Keith gasping all over again. He has a smirk on his face like he already knows Keith will say yes. 

Instead of saying it verbally, Keith drops down as soon as Shiro stops holding him up. Shiro’s still in the thin black bodysuit that most blades wear in their leisure time. It looks better on Shiro than it’s ever looked on anyone Keith has seen wearing it. 

He can see the outline of Shiro through the thin material, resting thick and long against his right thigh. He knows exactly where to pull to undress Shiro, but Keith presses his lips to Shiro’s cock even with the barrier between them. It’s bigger than his own, bigger still than some of the blades Keith has seen through curious glances in the communal washing chambers. 

He kisses his way up Shiro's length in a filthy mirror to the kisses Shiro gave him moments ago. Shiro’s hand returning to his hair has him looking up at Shiro through his lashes. Shiro is hunched forward, supporting himself with one arm pressing against the side of the escape pod while his fingers curl and tighten in the strands of Keith’s hair. He’s looking at Keith with such intense heat in his eye that Keith feels his blood boil in response to it. 

Keith sighs and closes his eyes, giving one last nuzzle to Shiro before he tugs and pulls at Shiro’s bodysuit until finally Shiro’s dick out and in his hand. It looks even bigger out of the suit and in Keith’s hand, flushed and leaking from the tip. 

Keith’s tongue darts out to catch a drop and he hums at the taste. He hears Shiro groan above him as he leans forward to get more of it, licking it directly from Shiro’s head this time. Shiro doesn’t let him have his way for long, removing his hand from Keith’s hair to wrap it around the hand Keith has around his cock and using that to smear his dick against Keith’s lips, leaving a smear of precum like gloss behind. 

Keith blinks up at Shiro slowly and opens his mouth wider in invitation. One Shiro accepts without hesitation as he starts to feed Keith his cock with quick little thrusts at first but not for long as Shiro takes Keith groans as the encouragement they are. 

Soon he’s fucking Keith’s face with a purpose. Keith gags and chokes as he tries to keep up and not come untouched. It’s difficult, not only because Shiro’s length in his mouth satisfies a need Keith didn’t even know he had, but also because Shiro himself keeps muttering a litany of soft words and sweet phrases in contrast with his rough thrusts. 

“Look at you,” he’s saying. “No wonder I had to leave Earth to meet someone as gorgeous as you. No one there could compare. And so kind and brave too.”

Shiro pulls out suddenly and Keith starts to whine at the loss before Shiro drags him up and gives him another quick kiss. “Can I see you, baby?”

Shiro laughs at him quietly when Keith scrambles at his clothes. He doesn’t try to tell Keith to slow down though, and for that Keith is grateful. Shiro will leave him soon and the sooner he makes his mark on Keith the better. With Shiro’s help Keith’s suit comes off quickly and he’s naked with Shiro pressing him up against the pod again. 

His hands cup Keith’s hips and cheeks and pull his hips flush with him, grinding them together in a tease of what's to come. 

“Shiro, Shiro,” Keith is groaning as Shiro’s fingers slip between his cheeks, spreading him and brushing against his entrance. “Inside...you can-inside.”

“Here?” Shiro asks with a playful tilt to his voice, pressing a fingertip gently against Keith’s rim. 

Keith huffs and shakes his head. He has to bite his lip to keep from saying something stupid like, ‘Next time.’ He knows there won't be a next time with Shiro, only this. 

Keith grabs Shiro’s wrist and pulls it around to his front, guiding him in between his thighs, where he’s wet and ready for him. Shiro’s fingers are eager there too, sliding slick against him through his folds until he reaches where Keith aches for him most.

Shiro pauses there, meeting Keith’s eyes and smiling sweetly enough that Keith goes breathless. It turns out to be a bit deceptive because a moment later Shiro thrusts two fingers inside him without warning. 

Faintly, Keith hears the slick sound coming from him and Shiro’s low groan in response to it, but the blood rushing to his ears blocks out most of it. His eyes roll back as Shiro begins to thrust them. 

“I wish I had met you back on Earth,” Shiro says. “I would have taken you out to all the nice restaurants. Shown you my favorite place to watch the sunset.”

“You would have taken me on a date?” Keith breathes, lashes fluttering. 

“I’d have taken you on many dates,” Shiro says. His fingers are rocking into him gently and Keith finds himself lured into his rhythm, rolling his hips to meet Shiro’s thrusts. “As many as you wanted.”

“Who said I would have wanted to date you?” Keith teases. “Maybe I would have found another human to keep me company on Earth. There would be plenty to choose from.”

Shiro growls and Keith swears he feels the vibration of it down Shiro’s arm and inside him. A third finger slips in and Keith makes a surprised noise that turns into a moan as he feels the fullness. His own fingers could never. 

“You have a point there,” Shiro says casually. His fingers aren’t thrusting anymore but they curl, pressing instant against Keith’s sweet spot as his thighs start to shake. “Maybe nice things aren’t for you. I haven’t been very nice to you at all and you’re soaking for me.”

“You did choke me the first time we spoke,” Keith laughs as much as he can between moans. “And I came back to you.”

“You did, didn’t you?” Shiro gives him a curious look before bringing his metal arm up and pressing his palm gently against Keith’s throat, not squeezing just letting Keith feel the pressure of it. “Did you like it?”

Keith feels his lips part as his cunt tightens around Shiro’s fingers in answer.

“Keith,” Shiro says and leans down to press a brief bruising kiss against his lips. “I want to-”

“Yes,” Keith cuts him off. “Yes, please. Whatever you want.”

Then he’s whining as Shiro’s fingers pull free and leave him empty. Shiro moves quickly, grabbing each of Keith’s thighs and lifting him as if he weighs nothing. Shiro’s cock enters him, eased by Keith’s saliva on him and his slick. 

Time freezes, as Keith's mouth parts in a silent scream and Shiro groans in his ear. Shiro’s huge. Big enough that even after three of Shiro’s fingers he still feels the wonderful ache of the stretch. 

Shiro must be too impatient to wait for Keith to accommodate because he uses his grip on Keith’s hips to move him up and down on his cock as his hips do the rest of the work.

“Shiro,” Keith cries, scrambling at his shoulders for purchase. “Shiro, Shiro-”

“You feel so good, baby,” Shiro says, not slowing his thrusts. “You’re perfect.”

Keith makes a new sound, one he’s never heard come from himself before, high and reedy. It seems to soften Shiro, because presses Keith against the pod and slows his thrusts, gentle but deep inside Keith. 

“I’m glad we didn’t meet on Earth,” Keith gasps. “I’m glad we met in space, so I could be there when you needed someone. To help you get back home.” 

Shiro makes a wretched sound. “Come with me, Keith.”

Keith thinks maybe Shiro’s fucked him silly because he could have sworn Shiro just said-

“Come with me,” Shiro repeats. “Back to Earth. Let me show you where my favorite place to watch the sunset is. We could go on my favorite hoverbike trail.”

There’s an emotion welling up inside Keith, all-consuming with its light and warmth. “What’s a hoverbike?” he asks helplessly. 

“You’d love it, baby. I’d show you- teach you to drive one yourself. Bet you’d even beat me one day.” Shiro’s thrusts become frenzied like he’s trying to portray how desperate he is through them. “Come with me, Keith. Please, come.”

It’s not what Shiro means at all but Keith cries out and shakes through his orgasm anyway. Shiro bites at his lips more than kisses him and in return Keith digs his fingernails into Shiro’s shoulders. He feels it when Shiro swells and spills inside him, cock pulsing nearly in time with Keith’s still throbbing around him. 

“Keith,” Shiro says when they both are still. He doesn’t repeat himself but Keith knows he’s still pleading all the same. 

There are many reasons why Shiro’s request is an impossible one. Many reasons more why Keith shouldn’t even if it were possible. 

Still. 

“Alright Shiro,” Keith surrenders. “Take me to Earth.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! If you liked this, feel free to leave a comment and/or a kudos!  
> You can also find me screaming about fandom stuff at  
> [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/glaciya) and [Twitter!](https://twitter.com/glaciiya)


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